Jonny Parker was a fit and happy 21-year-old economics student and keen runner.
But a lump on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks in August 2018.
At first he thought it was a muscle injury but after testing he discovered he had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
Jonny went into remission after five rounds of chemotherapy but in May 2019 the rare blood cancer returned.
He said: "We thought it was a shoulder injury. I had a lump which didn’t disappear after my shoulder got better.
"I thought that I’d get over it, but mum noticed that I just wasn't well. I was sleeping all the time and just not myself. She booked an emergency appointment with my GP, who was amazing."
He added: "When doctors confirmed it was leukaemia, seeing my mum and my girlfriend react was hard. Then I had to stay in hospital, but they left."
Jonny is currently being treated with regular cycles of chemotherapy but he needs a stem cell transplant to boost his chances of beating the disease.
That involves taking cells from a healthy person, with the same tissue type, to replace and repair his own damaged cells.
Many of his friends and family have signed up to the stem cell register but patients all over the country need more people to take notice.
Jonny’s dad, Simon, who works for the housing association Home Group in Newcastle, is campaigning to raise awareness about the register.
He said: "When we were told it was AML, it was too big a piece of a news to take in.
"I had a wobble a few days after Jonny was diagnosed – I cried for a couple of hours solidly. I just thought “Why my child?” I was devastated for him.
"Then I then picked myself up – Jonny’s so positive so I had no excuse not to be.
"My energy is on supporting Jonny, and we’ve been encouraging as many people as we can to join the Anthony Nolan register."
Lynsey Dickson, of Anthony Nolan, said: "Every day, five people like Jonny will start their search for a matching stranger who might save their life.
"Each person who signs up has the potential to help save someone in desperate need of a lifesaving stem cell transplant.
"We’re particularly calling on young men aged 16-30 to consider joining the Anthony Nolan register, as young men provide 50% of all stem cell donations but make up just 18% of our register."
